Finding Prince Charming
by Be Rose
Summary: The king's beautiful but spoiled daughter is waiting for her perfect prince charming, rich and handsome. The young king with the dreadful scar and plain clothes is definitely not the one. So why is she mad at the gardener's roses? And what has happened when one day she disappears? Inspired by Beauty and the Beast and King Thrushbeard.
1. Chapter 1

**FINDING PRINCE CHARMING**

**CHAPTER 1**

ONCE UPON A TIME there was a beautiful princess. Not only was she beautiful, she was also intelligent. Her father, King John had called her Esmeralda after her mother who had died when she was born. Unfortunately, because she was his only child and because she had no mother, he could not resist giving her everything she wanted. The courtiers praised her beauty and her cleverness. They would drop anything they were doing to immediately carry out her orders, however trivial. Visitors too would be enchanted by the pretty girl and they would yield to her every whim. No wonder she grew up to become a very proud and totally spoilt young woman.

King John had no male heir. For him it was important that his daughter marry the right man because he wasn't entirely sure that a woman with her pride had the right qualities to be a queen. When Esmeralda was eighteen years old he decided it was time to find her a husband. When the news was spread that the beautiful princess Esmeralda was looking for a spouse, kings and princes came from all over the world, saw her, talked to her, and fell head over heels in love with her. They followed her like faithful puppies, obeying her every command, giving her everything she asked of them. One gave her so much that he had to go home on foot in nothing but his underwear. She asked them to do the silliest things and when one of those poor men, out of love for her, actually complied with her ridiculous request, she laughed and mocked him.

Occasionally one of them, thinking he had a chance, would ask her "Princess Esmeralda, would you marry me?" This would make her laugh even harder and she would answer, "Who do you think I am? A silly little girl to marry someone as stupid as you? Go away! I'm waiting for a better man, my Prince Charming. He's as clever as I am, as handsome as I am, as rich as the ocean is deep and he'll give me all he has."

And so the proud princess waited for her true Prince Charming to come to claim her, her hopeful suitors kept following her and praising her and as time went on and her dream prince had not arrived, she became more and more rude to everyone.

ooOOoo

It was a bright day in late summer when King Henryk arrived. He had become king at an early age after the death of his parents in a boating accident. He had been on the boat with them and had been saved just in time but when his wounds had healed they had left a large scar on his face. It ran from the middle of his brow over his right eye and across his cheek, ending just under his right ear.

As he came into the big hall and went towards Esmeralda, some of the ladies stifled a scream or turned away. Around the room you could hear the susurration of whispers.

"He is so ugly, look at his face."

"Dreadful, I wouldn't show myself looking like that."

"He does not look rich. Look how plain his clothes are."

"My footman wears richer clothes."

"He doesn't even have a proper gift with him."

"Ridiculous. He cannot even afford a bunch of roses."

When he had reached Esmeralda, she looked down at him and said:

"You wanted to speak to me?"

"Your Royal Highness, I brought you this special rose from my garden. Its beauty is created with you in mind. Please do me the great honour of accepting it together with my heart. "

Esmeralda took the rose. Its deep red petals looked like rich velvet. A dewdrop, caught in the middle of the flower, glistened like a diamond. She didn't see its beauty only the ugliness of the man who had given it. She felt insulted. How did that scarecrow dare to approach her?

"Ha! Look around you, look at all the men I've turned down. Any one of them is more handsome than you are, you ugly monster. They gave me precious jewellery, gold, gems, even palaces. And what do you give me? A weed from your garden and your heart. This is what I do with them."

And she crushed the rose and threw it at the young king's feet.

He wanted to shout at her, slap her. With supreme effort he kept his anger in check:

"I could never believe what people told me. That you are proud and hard and cold, that you are no more than a beautiful marble statue, a thing that can be admired but knows no love; a precious object that only fools would love. They were right. You throw away the best anyone can give you, a true heart. You should be brought back to life, and then perhaps you might be a wife worth having. Someone else will have to do that; I don't waste my time on lost causes."

At this he turned around and left the room.

You could have heard a pin drop. Princess Esmeralda just stood there, her eyes flashed with anger. Then she turned to the musicians.

"Play some music, I want to have fun."

As she went to the middle of the room to start the dance, she stepped on the rose petals on the ground.

ooOOoo

Several months went by. Winter had arrived. For Christmas Esmeralda had asked for a grand masquerade ball to last from Christmas Eve until New Year's Day. Everyone had to dress up, including the staff. The first few days she found it hilarious to see a footman in bear costume struggling to hold a tray of glasses. Then it bored her. Her insults and demands became worse and worse. Nobody could do anything right, not even her father. She told him he was a useless king who could not find her a proper husband.

King John's advisers talked to him.

"Your Majesty, we have to do something. The tale of your daughter's bad temper has spread so far that no new suitors have come in months," said the First.

"We'll end up with an unmarried queen and no allies if this continues, Your Majesty," said the Second.

"You will have to force her, Sire," suggested the First.

"Threaten her, Sire. Tell her she will be married off to the first man who enters the castle in the morning" suggested the Second.

"I will not!" said the king. "Just because my cousin who married king Thrushbeard was lucky enough to get the correct husband is no reason to try that one again. Who knows who will be the first to enter; probably the milkman. No, no, no, we have to come up with something else, I just don't know what."

And that was that. Nobody knew what to do to find a husband the princess would accept or to make her a nicer person and the princess was waiting for some fairy tale Prince Charming who obviously didn't exist. After the New Year party one by one the more interesting candidates returned to their own countries. The lovesick young (and not so young) men that remained to adore and admire her did not really have what King John looked for in a future son-in-law.

Meanwhile every night the princess dreamed of her Prince Charming. He would come to her and smile at her. They would dance and laugh together. Then her dream would turn into a nightmare as her prince turned away from her and said, in the cold voice of King Henryk: "I don't waste my time on lost causes." She wanted to follow him but her way was blocked by rose bushes with dark velvety red roses. Dewdrops were dripping from them like tears.

ooOOoo

Summer came and anyone who even mentioned the word 'rose' had to hide from the wrath of the princess. The gardener nearly resigned the day she cut off all the blooms and buds of his prize roses. No new suitors arrived that summer, or the next autumn, or the following winter. The end of year parties bored Esmeralda to tears and there was absolutely no fun in belittling a bunch of men who treated each insult as if it was the nicest thing she could have said - a price to treasure for life.

And so springtime came round again and Esmeralda started to ride out each morning to escape her persistent beaus. To her surprise she enjoyed it that nobody was around to praise her skill in horse riding to high heaven. She even laughed when she fell off the horse and imagined how one of her followers would surely have become poetic about her unsurpassed elegance. Riding out like this she began to enjoy the beauty of nature, the blossoms, the fresh new leaves, the simple spring flowers growing everywhere. Her outings became longer and longer and sometimes she was just about back in time for the evening meal.

The day Esmeralda did not come home at dinnertime, nobody was too worried at first but it became dark and she still had not returned. King John sent out a search party with torches but they came back in the morning without the princess. By midday her horse returned – alone. Day after day the search went on but Esmeralda remained lost. In desperation the king promised his daughter's hand in marriage to the person who brought her back. In no time the castle was emptied of the suitors, all ready to win her, but they all came back empty-handed.

The king sent the news to all the neighbouring kingdoms:

"He, who finds my daughter and brings her back to me, will get her hand in marriage, and my kingdom."

But how could they find her? Nobody knew where to look for her until a young shepherd came to the castle.

He told the king: "I saw Her Highness, Princess Esmeralda being taken by the devil." The shepherd crossed himself. "He had this big ugly scar on his face. He rode up to her like the devil, for sure. Then he grabbed the reins of her horse and sped off. It was so fast. I just saw them disappear into the Dark Forest."

King John thanked the young shepherd. "At least now I know where to search", he said.

Privately he wasn't really worried anymore. From the description the shepherd had given he had recognised King Henryk. His father had been an old and dear friend and he respected the younger man and thought he would be the perfect match for his girl.

Publicly he could not retract his promise, but he told nobody what he surmised. To those who guessed, like him, who the kidnapper might have been he didn't say where King Henryk lived.

"Let them search," he thought. "Hopefully they'll never find him."

The news of the possible whereabouts of Princess Esmeralda sent every unmarried man off to the Dark Forest. They all hoped to find her and become the husband of the most beautiful princess in the world and receive a kingdom to boot. For most the latter was the more important thing.

ooOOoo

5

5 


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thanks to Elfine for a good tip. This is the updated Chapter 2.  
**

**FINDING PRINCE CHARMING**

**CHAPTER 2**

The ugly King Henryk had indeed kidnapped Princess Esmeralda.

After he'd called Princess Esmeralda a lost cause, Henryk had gone to the stables to get his horse and leave. While he was saddling his horse Esmeralda's father came running. He apologised profusely for her behaviour.

"Please, don't let her destroy the friendship between our countries," King John said.

Henryk allayed his fears.

"What your daughter does has nothing to do with our countries. My father's promise stands."

"Thank you for that, Henryk," the older man said."

Henryk just nodded, mounted his horse and left.

When he arrived home, Margaret, his housekeeper asked, "And? Was I right?"

"Yes," he answered, "she's spoiled, thoughtless, hurtful, everything you said. And I don't want to talk about it anymore."

He went into the garden to the corner where a rosebush was growing with deep red, velvety roses. He stood there, just looking at the roses until he heard somebody behind him.

"Do we have a name for the rose, Henryk?"

Henryk looked at James, the young gardener who'd grown the rose.

"No, we don't. I won't … I can't give it another name."

"I'll refer to it with the date it first bloomed then."

"Thank you, James. Perhaps one day I'll be able to rename it, but not now."

Henryk went to his room. He thought about Esmeralda, about the time when they'd been children and she'd been his playfellow when their fathers had met on state business. He remembered the last time he had seen her on her sixteenth birthday. She'd been so happy to see him. They had talked, they had laughed, they had danced and he had fallen in love with her. There had been more young princes at her birthday party but she had favoured him above all the rest.

"You're my Prince Charming," she had laughed. "Promise me you'll come when I'm old enough."

"And how many Prince-Charmings will turn up?" he had joked. "Simon is charming, David is very charming, Frank …"

"Don't tease me," she had interrupted. "Will you come?"

She had looked up at him, sincerity in her eyes, and he had answered, "I will come. Nothing shall stop me."

Then the accident had happened. The healing had taken a long time; dealing with the aftermath even longer. He had stayed in his room, day after day, not wanting to face up to the death of his parents, his kingship or how the accident had changed his face.

It had been Margaret, always Margaret, who had told him that he had a duty to his people; that everybody knew what had happened to his face; that he couldn't hide for the rest of his life. He'd given in. In the end he'd given in to Margaret's insistence and she'd been right. He had been loved more, not less because of what had happened. He had been given a new goal; to become as good a king as his father had been. But a king needs a queen.

That's when he'd heard Esmeralda's father wanted her to get married. He'd remembered his promise. Margaret had warned him, others had warned him. They had told him how selfish she was, how spoiled, how vain, how unfeeling. He had scoffed at them; he had told them they didn't know her as he did. He hadn't believed what people had said about her. All malicious gossip, rumours spread by disappointed men. He'd approached her, thinking she would greet him as of old. She hadn't even recognised him. She had been so disdainful, so cold and distant and all he had gotten was her refusal and her heartless behaviour.

ooOOoo

He buried himself in work. He did anything and everything to keep his mind busy, and tire out his body. He wanted to fall asleep like a log every night. He didn't want to think about Esmeralda anymore. The worst was wintertime when all the work had been done; when he had time to remember and relive her rejection. Every night he heard her say, "You offer me a weed and your heart. This is what I do with them." Every night he relived the moment when she had crushed the rose; crushed his heart.

Spring arrived again. His sleepless nights had had one effect. He slowly started to accept that Esmeralda was lost to him. The welfare of his people kept him going. The country had been left to him by his father as a holy trust. Looking after it kept him busy, kept his mind occupied.

But the year sped by at an alarming rate. Winter was looming like a dark and dreadful fog, waiting to envelop and suffocate him with noxious fumes. He dreaded the dark empty days.

Margaret had been made spokesperson yet again, perhaps because she was the most insistent, perhaps because she always talked until he gave way to her common sense.

"Go away from here before winter closes of the roads; go visit your school friend, he's asked often enough. Go, enjoy yourself. Forget her; give yourself the chance to find somebody new. It will be better for you and for the country. Everything is ready for winter so we can do without you for a bit. Stay away until spring and come back to us healed."

ooOOoo

He went and had a great time. He finally accepted that the woman who'd scorned him was not the Esmeralda he'd loved. She no longer existed. He mourned her as if she had died and the wound in his heart healed When spring came he ached to be home again. The quickest road to his country passed close to King John's castle so he decided to travel early in the morning, shortly after daybreak, when nobody would be around. Suddenly he saw her. He was surprised she was out riding on her own and at that time of the morning. Then Esmeralda fell off her horse. Something had startled it. He wondered whether he should risk one of her foul moods and offer assistance. To his amazement he heard her laugh. She got up, called the horse; she patted it, talked to it friendly, reassuringly. He followed her all day, surprised at seeing the Esmeralda of their childhood again. Nobody expected him home already so he stayed, sleeping rough in a shepherd's hut. He followed her again the next day and the next, saw her enjoying springtime and the wild flowers. Inevitable he fell in love with her all over again and decided that perhaps she wasn't a lost cause; that perhaps he should 'bring the statue to life'.

He went home, surprised them all with his arrival; surprised them even more when he said what he had planned. This time even Margaret couldn't dissuade him.

"Do you realise you're risking a war?" she said.

He hesitated only a moment.

"There won't be a war. King John is not the warring kind. And I have to try this. I know she's a lovely woman."

"Oh, Henryk. She was only ever nice to YOU, the dashing, handsome, obviously rich young prince. It flattered her vanity that you paid attention to her."

"How would you know that? You've never even met her."

His shouting didn't upset Margaret. She calmly answered him:

"Your mother often talked to me about her. She worried that your father's friendship with King John might end in you marrying Princess Esmeralda."

Henryk's anger had melted away at the mention of his mother.

"What did my mother say about Esmeralda?"

Margaret told him all she'd heard about the princess from the queen. Henryk listened in silence to the unflattering picture of the woman he loved. All the while he was wondering how he could bring out the side of her he knew.

"That's how most people see her," Margaret ended. "How in heaven's name are you going to make her a better person? It just can't be done."

Henryk had made up his mind.

"I'm going to give her what she's never had in her life before: some tough love. I'll tell her how ugly this behaviour makes her."

Margaret laughed.

"You're in love with her. You'll read her wishes from her eyes before she even utters them and she won't change."

"I'm bringing her here, Margaret. I'll work something out afterwards. You won't make me change my mind."

When Margaret saw Henryk was determined to go ahead with his plan, she decided to help.

"You want to give her tough love? You won't be able to do it but I will. I'll give her some tough love. I'll treat her just the way she treats her own servants. See how she likes it. If there is even a glimmer of the girl you say she is, she'll understand. But I don't want you involved. Go and get her but don't talk to her; don't respond to her in any way. Then you leave her to me. This is what I intend to do."

Margaret explained her plan and after a few changes, toning down the toughness, Henryk agreed to it. Margaret looked on as he left again. She shook her head.

"I hope this won't end in disaster," she thought.

ooOOoo

Henryk went back; waited, hidden in the bushes, for Esmeralda to appear. He saw her startled look when he grabbed the reins of her horse. She tried to stop it but of course of one horse starts running madly, the other one will follow.

He rode with her into the Dark Forest, where he let her horse go. She tried to escape, kicked him, bit him, but he took a rope, tied one end around her waist and the other end around his own. Then he lifted Esmeralda in front of him on his horse and raced right through the forest to a wild and uninhabited land.

When kicking, biting or scratching didn't help Esmeralda started to threaten him with dire consequences. She commanded him to take her back, fully expecting him to obey. She was after all a princess and everybody always did what she ordered them to do. Henryk, keeping Margaret's warning in mind, only reacted with a scornful laugh. Then Esmeralda began to insult him, calling him a monster, a scare-crow, an ugly beast, a fright, a nightmare, a ghoul. When she saw the dark look on his face she fell quiet.

Suddenly the seriousness of her situation dawned on her. Here she was in the middle of the aptly named Dark Forest with a man she had rejected and insulted. What did he plan to do with her? Get his revenge, no doubt, but how? Would he leave her in the wildest part of the forest, a prey to the wolves or bears or whatever wild creatures that lived here? Would he perhaps kill her? Perhaps, worst of all, he would force her to marry him. She had heard of these forced marriages and shuddered at the thought that she would be for ever at his mercy, his wife for him to do with as he pleased. "Safest was not to antagonise him further," she thought.

They travelled, in silence, for many days through narrow gorges, on precarious paths with sheer drops on either side. Occasionally Henryk offered her some dry biscuits, an apple or some water. At first she refused until, forced by hunger, she accepted the food. They stopped every evening when it became too dark to travel safely. He made her lie next to him and whenever she got up to try and untie the rope, he pulled her down on top of him, then pushed her away and hissed: "Sleep". Worst of all was when she needed some privacy. He came along and turned his back on her while she went in the bushes. When he wanted to be alone, he tied her to his horse. The first time she had tried to ride away on it; the horse didn't move. The second time she had started walking, thinking the horse might follow. It had just waited till the rope was stretched tight, then pulled her back with a movement of his head which made her fall. After that she stopped trying, more afraid of losing her way in the wilderness than of her silent kidnapper.

ooOOoo


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: chapter 2 was updated on 26/08  
**

**FINDING PRINCE CHARMING**

**CHAPTER 3**

On the last day they passed through a dark tunnel that seemed to go on forever. Eventually it came to an end. Still further and further they went through meadows full of wildflowers with the odd cluster of shrubs and here and there a solitary tree. At last they saw in the distance a dark, gloomy castle. It was surrounded by the sharp peaks of mountains, like the teeth of an animal that was ready to devour anybody who came too close.

"That," said king Henryk, "will be your home."

Esmeralda was too shocked to speak. She had been terrified of falling during the whole wild ride before they had reached the tunnel. Now, when she finally felt she could relax, the look of the castle frightened her. When they came near she saw just how huge it was. It stood on a hill, was carved out of the rock and surrounded by a deep ravine. A gigantic, heavy bridge came down. Behind it a massive gate opened. It was made of the same stone as the castle and no battering ram was strong enough to break it down. The entrance was twice as high as a man on horseback and wide enough for four knights in full armour to pass through side by side. Beyond was a large courtyard shaped like a crescent moon. On the far side of the courtyard was another wall of rock as tall as the outside wall. High up in this wall was an outcrop, like a balcony carved in the stone. It looked as if there might be an opening, but that was hard to see because the shadow of the outer wall made everything look strange.

Henryk rode to the left, towards the point of the crescent. There, hidden by the darkness was the entrance to the rest of the castle. This too was closed off by a gate similar to the main entrance. Someone on the inside opened it and they went through into a short tunnel. On the right was a wooden door to the interior of the castle, at the end the tunnel opened up to a bright garden. They dismounted. Henryk untied the rope that held them together. A groom came from the garden and led the horse away.

"Come," Henryk said and entered the building. Esmeralda, too scared to disobey, followed him inside, up a massive wooden staircase and into a room with huge windows looking out onto the garden. Inside was a large dining table and chairs and three sideboards with big bunches of flowers on them. Henryk grabbed the apron that was lying on a chair, gave it to Esmeralda and pointed to the broom that was standing against the wall.

"The apron is to protect your clothes. The broom is to sweep the floor of this room. If you do this, you can eat here with my people. If you don't then you won't get anything. "

Esmeralda stared at him in disbelief. When he turned to go she exploded.

"How dare you! You've kidnapped me; you've dragged me through the wilderness for days; I can recall every word you said to me all that time: "eat", "drink", "sit", "sleep", "come" and now you order me to start cleaning."

Surely this man, no, this ugly … thing couldn't mean that.

"I am a princess and every man adores me. I am not a maid and never will be. If you want this floor sweeping then you can do it yourself." And she threw the apron on the ground.

"Fine, you don't feel hungry then," Henryk said and he left the room.

"Wait till my father finds you, he'll kill you for this," she shouted, but he didn't even turn back

Esmeralda sat down on one of the chairs, put her feet on a second chair, folded her arms and waited … and waited … and waited.

Eventually, in the middle of the afternoon a woman came into the room.

"Good afternoon," she said. "I'm Margaret, King Henryk's housekeeper."

She saw the apron was lying on the floor, the broom hadn't been touched and the young girl was sitting down.

"You have not done your work yet. You won't get any food if you don't do your work."

Esmeralda answered again: "I am a princess and not a maid. I'll never do a maid's work and you can tell that to your master."

Margaret shook her head.

"You really think you are something special, don't you. Well, it is up to you, but don't think you will get anything to eat, if you don't do your job."

Then she left the room.

ooOOoo

Esmeralda didn't stir for a while. When she got rather bored just sitting there, she got up from the chair, walked around the room and looked in the cupboards. They just contained plates and cups, bowls and beakers; serving dishes and cutlery, glasses, tablecloths and napkins, and anything else anybody might need to set the table. Then she went to the window and looked out in the garden. She saw nice manicured lawns, neatly trimmed shrubs, rows and rows of pruned rosebushes, masses of flowering spring bulbs, a fountain spouting water as high as the castle and in the distance, a stream and behind that a wood. Far in the distance whichever way she looked, she could see the high sharp mountain peaks that had frightened her. In fact the little country was a large valley, protected by the mountains that kept the worst of the weather and invading armies out.

Esmeralda wished she could walk in the garden.

"What a pity that so much beauty is hidden behind that horrible castle. What a pity that such a hideous, horrifying, ghastly man has such a nice place. I would like to live here, with a wonderful and kind man, who would worship me and with servants to do everything I want," she thought.

She stamped her foot.

"My Prince Charming will come and kill that monster for me, and I will laugh and dance when he is captured, and I will live here as queen. And maybe I will lock him up and punish him for the rest of his life for what he has done to me."

But nobody heard her and she felt very lonely in the room.

Just as the sun started to set, Margaret came back with a young girl. She quickly glanced at Esmeralda and the floor that still was not swept.

"Quickly, Jane, do the floor first and then start setting the table. I'm sure somebody will come and help you soon," she said to the girl.

The girl took the apron, put it on and started sweeping the floor.

Then Margaret went to Esmeralda and said: "Follow me, I will show you your room."

Esmeralda followed her and thought: "Finally they realise who I am. I was right not to do anything. I am a princess, not a maid. Now they'll treat me as I should be treated."

They went up a flight of stairs to the next floor and Esmeralda saw incredible richness everywhere. Thick lavishly coloured carpets, furniture with intricate carving, chandeliers and candleholders in gold and crystal, paintings and vases with flowers – she did not know where to look first. This made her father's place look a bit ordinary.

Margaret led her up a further two flights of stairs and always there were magnificent furnishings. The fourth flight led to a corridor with plain carpets on the floor and unadorned doors. The light fittings were basic but gave a bright light. There were no flowers, no pictures, no furniture or anything else in this hallway. Margaret opened one of the doors and there was a wooden staircase that led to an attic. Across the width of the attic was a wooden partition with two doors.

She opened one of the doors and said to Esmeralda: "Here is your room. I will call you tomorrow morning at seven." And then she left.

Esmeralda went inside, but instead of rich furnishings and soft pillows, there was a simple narrow bed with cotton sheets and just one blanket. A bowl and a jug of cold water were standing on a washstand. Apart from the bed and the washstand there was a stool that served as bedside table and a narrow wardrobe. It had just one door and when she opened it she found a simple cotton night-dress without frills or lace and a similar dressing gown, two plain dresses, two aprons and two pairs of sensible shoes. Esmeralda slammed the door of the wardrobe shut and lay on the bed fully dressed. She crossed her arms.

"Who does he think he is? I am not going to give in. HE will come, my prince charming, my brave knight, and he will free me."

She thought somebody would bring her some food, but as it became later and later she realised that she would get nothing to eat. At first she could not sleep, because she felt so hungry, but the emotions of the past days and the tiring journey to the castle eventually sent her to sleep.

She felt she had barely slept a couple of hours, when a pounding on the door of her room woke her up. Eventually Margaret entered the room.

"Come on, get up. The day has already started and there is work to be done before breakfast. "

"Oh, go away," Esmeralda said. "I am not going to work, so just bring me my breakfast."

"Well, if you won't come, you will not get any breakfast," was the answer, and Margaret left the room.

Esmeralda did not leave the bed, but fell to sleep again. She woke up feeling very hungry and wondered what the time was. She noticed the sun was blazing through the skylight so it was not early. Immediately she decided she was going to find somebody who would give her something to eat.

She found the dining room again and saw the broom standing against the wall and the apron lying folded on top of the nearest sideboard. Obviously people had been eating there; the table had not been cleaned yet. Then the young girl, Jane, came in and started to wipe the table.

Esmeralda shouted: "You there, what time is it? When are we having our midday meal here?"

"It is half past two, and we all had our lunch already, Ma'am," was Jane's answer.

"Get me something to eat then. I haven't had anything yet."

"You'll have to go to the kitchen, Ma'am; it is on the ground floor. Follow me, Ma'am, I'll show you."

The girl took her to the kitchen and left her with the cook. No sooner had Esmeralda seen the cook or she started to order her about.

"I'm a princess and I haven't had anything to eat since yesterday, so give me some fresh bread and meat and tea with lemon and sugar, and some fruit and desserts. And be quick about it because I am not used to waiting."

The cook had a good look at the girl ordering her about in her kitchen.

"Princess, ha, you don't look much like a princess. You're just a little chit of a girl that should know better than to order people about. If you wanted to eat, you should have been up and ready at mealtimes, just like the rest of us."

At that moment Margaret arrived.

"So, you finally decided to come out of your bed. Are you going to work today?"

To the cook she said: "This girl is not to have anything to eat until she starts working for it, Mary. She is a spoiled brat and needs to be taught some manners."

"Is she really a princess, Margaret?" Mary, the cook asked. "She doesn't look like a princess to me. She looks like an unwashed and unkempt little beggar girl."

"I am a princess, I am, and my father is a king and will punish you all."

Like the spoiled child she was Esmeralda stamped her foot. Margaret took her by the arm and led her to a mirror.

"Take a look and then tell me you look like a princess."

Esmeralda stared at her image in the mirror. She saw a girl in a wrinkled, grubby dress with bits of the lace ripped off, her face streaked with dirt and her hair in a mess. That certainly was not a princess, and she did not know what to do about it as there had always been somebody to help her get dressed in the morning and somebody else to do her hair, and …

She started to cry because she felt miserable and alone and hungry. Margaret felt sorry for the girl. Although she had eventually agreed with King Henryk's abduction of the princess and had promised him to show the girl some 'tough love', seeing her tears touched Margaret's motherly heart.

"I'll help you get dressed and get washed and combed, and if you sweep the floor in the dining room, you can eat as much as you want tonight."

"But I don't know how to sweep," Esmeralda cried.

Margaret laughed. "Come on, we'll fix you up and then I'll show you how to sweep."

She took Esmeralda to the little room and showed her how to wash her face and comb her hair. She helped her to put on one of the cotton dresses. And in the dining room she showed Esmeralda how to hold a broom and sweep the floor and then she went and left her to it.

And that evening Esmeralda ate with everyone else and the food was delicious, infinitely better than she had expected. After all, it was just fodder for servants, she thought.

ooOOoo


	4. Chapter 4

**FINDING PRINCE CHARMING**

**CHAPTER 4**

From then on Esmeralda swept the room every day. Pretty soon she became really quick at it which meant that by mid-morning she had finished her task and the rest of the day she did … well … nothing. She just sat on a chair in the dining room waiting for the food to be brought in, or she went for a walk in the garden, or she went to her room and slept out of boredom.

She saw people working inside the castle and outside in the garden, but it never occurred to her that she might help. She had done the job she had been asked to do and that was already more than she should do. After all she was still a princess. And anyway, where was that lazy king who made her work. You never saw HIM doing anything. You never saw him at all. He was probably somewhere being served and doing absolutely nothing, just lying about all day enjoying his wealth. And Esmeralda stamped her foot in anger and frustration because she could not tell him what she thought of him.

One day, she had just finished her work when she met Margaret who was busy as always. Esmeralda had just been thinking about King Henryk so she said to Margaret:

"Huh, you are always working but I have never seen that lazy good for nothing king lift a finger. He orders everybody about and calls me lazy. But what is he then?"

Margaret stopped and looked at her as if she wasn't sure she'd heard right.

"Do you really believe he would ask of others what he would not do himself? Child, you don't know him and you judge him without asking us, who do know him, what kind of person he is. It is summer now but he's already making sure that we will have enough food and fuel to get us through winter, and not just us, but everybody in his kingdom. We need to store as much as necessary by the time the snow comes. It cuts us of from the rest of the world. King Henryk is responsible for our welfare and he'll do any work, anything, to achieve his goal. No work is beneath him. He is not just a good king, he is a good man and that is why he is so well liked. Don't you measure him by your own shallow standards." And Margaret went on with her work and left Esmeralda to think about what she had said.

Margaret's words had made an impression on Esmeralda, but she refused to think better of King Henryk. She decided that everybody was wrong about him and that he was clever in hiding just how bad he was. After all, a good king would not have abducted her and would not have made her work and would have given her a decent room instead of a hole in the attic.

But she did start to see that Jane had a lot of work – setting the tables before each meal, clearing the tables afterwards, cleaning the tables, putting the cutlery and crockery back in the sideboards when the washing up was done. Jane dusted the rooms, Jane looked after the flowers, Jane made the beds and if she wasn't working she was either on her way to or from a job. In short Jane was just as busy as Margaret and could do with some help. Esmeralda felt guilty for not helping Jane but she did not want to feel guilty. That would mean that that monster-king was right about her. So she did nothing except avoid Jane and felt worse and worse about it.

ooOOoo

It was only a few days later that Esmeralda, hurrying away from the dining room to avoid Jane, heard Margaret talking about her. Eavesdroppers never hear anything good about themselves and Esmeralda fared little better.

"She sweeps the floor in the dining room, but that is all," Margaret said. "She does not see that there is more work to be done, she does not care that other people are swamped with work while she just walks in the garden."

"Margaret, she does what I asked her to do. " That was King Henryk's deep voice. Now Esmeralda really wanted to know what they said about her.

"It is little enough, and if she hadn't been hungry, she still wouldn't have done it. I'm afraid that she is a spoilt child and that it is too late to change her."

"Give her some time, Margaret. She is not a bad person, and I believe she will change. She will learn to put herself in another person's place. She will stop being a spoilt child and she will be a lovely woman."

Esmeralda heard that King Henryk was going away, but the conversation had not finished yet. The cook appeared.

"Will he make her do any more work? Jane could do with some help and the poor girl doesn't dare ask her. She says that a princess who is that beautiful should not have to work, that it is not right."

"I'm afraid he will do nothing at all, Mary. He thinks she will change and help Jane out of the goodness of her heart. I have told him that she has not changed a bit, but he doesn't want to hear it. That stupid idea of his. I should have kept talking 'till I'd talked him out of it."

"He is still taken with that lazy brat then? I cannot believe he hasn't sent her back to her father. Sweeping ONE room ONCE a day is not going to make her a better person."

"I know Mary, but he doesn't see it that way, and I fear eventually he will take her as she is. We can just hope that she will still say NO, or she will become our queen and punish us because we made her work. But if she does say no, it will break his heart."

Esmeralda didn't wait after the cook's remark so she never caught Margaret's answer. She ran to her room and sat down on the bed. The cook's words had hit home. That is how they saw her then, a lazy brat, only good enough to be sent packing back to daddy. At least Jane realised what was due to a princess. And he … No, she didn't want to think of it. She did not want to know that Henryk expected more of her.

The rest of the day she stayed in her room while the words she had overheard turned round and round in her head. She did not open the door when Jane came to see whether she was ill.

She said: "I'm fine, thank you" when Margaret asked whether she was alright, and she heard her say: "There is nothing wrong with her, Jane. She is just being awkward."

All night long Esmeralda kept tossing and turning, unable to take her mind off the words she'd overheard. Her own memories confronted her with the truth of them; memories of tantrums when she didn't get what she wanted; memories of cruelty to her seamstress when the poor girl had failed to finish a blue dress when all along she, Esmeralda, had insisted she finish the green one first; memories of a bedroom looking like an infernal mess, a mess she had caused, and the poor maid who was up all night clearing it up. In the early hours of the morning Esmeralda was so exhausted she finally fell asleep.

When Esmeralda woke up breakfast had already finished. She went to the dining room and saw Jane struggling with a pile of plates to take to the kitchen, so she took half the pile off Jane and together they cleared the rest of the table. Esmeralda helped Jane out where she could and did her own job as well. She had to stop halfway through her work because...

ooOOoo

Because one of the suitors had finally found the way to the castle. The countryside stretching out in front of the castle was so flat and open that the guard had seen him coming when he had still been miles and miles away, a speck in the distance. A messenger had been sent to warn King Henryk who had returned to the castle immediately and was ready before Princess Esmeralda's admirer had arrived.

When the man, a worthy knight, finally reached the castle, he called out and challenged the king to a fight:

"Abductor of innocent maidens, come and face your doom. Truth and justice are on my side and together we will defeat you."

It is a well-known fact that truth and justice are generally present when a challenge is given, but when it comes down to fighting a good sword and a strong arm are much more useful. This good knight did not spend too much of his breath on name calling as he was well aware he might run out of that commodity soon enough.

The drawbridge came down and the knight entered the castle, feeling a little uneasy. Meanwhile Henryk had gone to Esmeralda, who was busy sweeping the dining room.

"Princess Esmeralda, please follow me," he said.

She wanted to say, "Why?" in the haughtiest way she could but one look at his face changed it into a quiet "Yes".

He guided her to a lovely little room with a balcony, in the part of the castle that was cut out of the rock. In days gone by it had been used by the ladies of the house and their guests during the tournaments. It was an ideal spot from which to see all the activities in the courtyard below.

King Henryk said to Esmeralda: "A knight has come to rescue you. He has challenged me to a fight. If he wins, you are free and he will take you to your father. You can follow the fight from the balcony." Then he left her.

Esmeralda ran to the balcony and looked down into the crescent shaped courtyard. She just about recognised the knight as one of the princes she had mocked. His had been among the best offers she had received even if he was a bit pompous. The thought struck her, "If I had accepted him, I would not be stuck in this hellhole." But just as quickly she rejected it. She didn't want to be the wife of a man she didn't care for. She wanted only one man. The one who, on her sixteenth birthday, had promised he would come, her very own Prince Charming. Then she saw Henryk enter the courtyard and couldn't help thinking how splendid he looked – providing you didn't see his face.

Before the fight the knight, who had obviously been told about her presence, bowed at her. She wished she could throw him a token, a favour for the brave hero, but all she had was a duster in the pocket of her apron which wasn't quite the right sort of thing.

Soon the fight began. Esmeralda cheered every time the knight seemed to be winning and held her breath when Henryk was doing well. But all her cheering could not help her would-be rescuer and in the end King Henryk won. He let his opponent keep his armour, his sword and his horse because he did not believe in humiliating a beaten enemy and besides, the way back home was too dangerous for an unarmed man.

The knight left the castle dejectedly and the drawbridge was raised again. Henryk turned to Esmeralda on the balcony and bowed in mock-imitation of her champion, then went up to the little room.

No sooner had Henryk entered or Esmeralda said darkly: "I wish he had killed you, then I could go home now."

"Yes," answered Henryk, "and your wedding to the noble knight would soon be celebrated. Your father has promised your hand in marriage to the man who defeats me and brings you home."

"My father would do no such thing. He would never force me to do anything."

"It was your brave knight who told me. Of course he might have been more interested in the kingdom. Your father promised your hand and his kingdom to whomsoever brings you back."

"You're lying." Esmeralda was shouting now. "You're an ugly, lying monster. My father wouldn't do that. He loves me and he loves his kingdom."

The mocking tone left Henryk's voice.

"Has it never occurred to you that he would make this offer just because he cares so much about you? I would give my kingdom for you, gladly, because you see…"

Gently he caressed her cheek and in his deep voice he continued softly, "… you see, I care about you too."

His touch was as soft as a butterfly's wings and made her heart skip; his words, his warm voice sent a shiver up and down her spine. It's because I'm disgusted, because I hate him, she told herself. It's that and nothing else. She wanted to see his eyes, wanted to see that he was mocking her because it could not be true. What he had said, all of it, even those last words, especially those last words, could not be true.

But he had turned away already. Then he just said, "Come!" and, without speaking another word he took her back to the dining room.

Esmeralda soon finished her work and then went to Jane to see what she could do for her but she couldn't forget Henryk's words. She still felt his touch on her cheek and the memory if his voice made her shiver. So much so that Jane asked her if she needed a scarf.

ooOOoo


	5. Chapter 5

**FINDING PRINCE CHARMING**

**CHAPTER 5**

During mealtimes, the other servants started to notice Esmeralda's friendliness. Everyone expected it would not last but the new Esmeralda did not disappear. She kept helping Jane day after day after day and Jane kept saying, "Thank you, Your Highness" and "You are too friendly, Your Highness" until Esmeralda became embarrassed.

"Please, don't call me 'Your Highness' all the time, Jane. After all I'm only working here, just like you. My name is Esmeralda, but I'd rather you call me Esmé, like my father used to do when I was a little girl."

It took a few days before Jane dared to call the princess 'Esmé' and a few more before she completely forgot to call her 'Your Highness'.

Once she got used to calling the princess Esmé, and saw her as an ordinary girl, Jane started to enjoy having someone to help her. Esmé had accepted Jane as an equal and for the first time in her life had the pleasure of gossiping with somebody her own age. Soon the two girls became friends.

Some weeks later after work when Esmé was about to go to her room in the attic, Jane said: "I've got an extra bed in my room. If we shared we could talk longer in the evening."

"I would love to. But would it be allowed?" asked Esmé.

"Of course," said Jane. "We'll get your things now."

When Esmé entered Jane's room with the few possessions she now had, she could hardly believe her eyes. This was not a bare little room like hers. This was like the guestrooms in her father's palace. There were soft carpets on the floor and a large window with thick velvet curtains. Opposite the window stood two carved beds with down-filled bedding. An equally richly carved wardrobe and two matching dressing tables with mirrors and combs and brushes were placed against the walls; a little table and two comfortable armchairs completed the furniture. And best of all: instead of a jug and basin, the room had a bathroom.

At first Esmé felt angry that she had been forced to sleep in a little bare room in the attic while servants had such sumptuous quarters. Then she remembered the room her own maid used at her father's palace and realised that she'd had absolutely no reason to complain.

From then on Esmé and Jane shared a room and Jane would tell Esmé about the people who lived and worked in the castle. She told Esmé about Mary, the cook, who every day at the end of day's work would have a little glass of sherry. She said how proud the head gardener was of his oldest son James who was following in his father's footsteps.

"You should have seen the beautiful new rose he bred a while ago; deep red with velvety petals. He's so good at his work," Jane said and blushed.

So did Esmé when she remembered what she had done with just such a rose.

Of course Jane told Esmé about King Henryk and the accident that had changed him.

"Before he was very handsome but after the accident he was totally different. We hardly recognised him. Just imagine, one moment you're good-looking, the next you're horribly scarred. We felt so sorry for him. He's such a good person. And you know, it doesn't matter what he looks like. He was our Prince Henryk and now he's our king and a very good king too."

And Esmé imagined how it would be if she suddenly wasn't the beautiful princess Esmeralda anymore. To her horror she realised that people adored her for her beauty but apart from that… what was there to like about her? There had been nothing likeable about the proud Princess Esmeralda. What had King Henryk called her? A beautiful statue. But when the statue is marred and loses its beauty it is totally worthless. Suddenly Esmé had a lot to think about.

Another time Jane talked about the work Margaret did and suggested they could do a bit more to help her out. Esmé didn't say: "No! I am a princess, I work hard enough as it is."

Instead she said:

"What can we do to help her?"

"I've got a few ideas. Some of the less important work," answered Jane. Then she laughed, "Margaret **IS** a bit of a control freak."

ooOOoo

When Margaret noticed that Jane and Esmé did some of her work, she was very pleased. She wondered how long this apparent change in the princess would last as she was not at all convinced it was permanent. So she never told King Henryk about it.

She did say to Jane: "I heard you have become friends with the princess."

"Yes, Esmé's very nice really."

"Be careful Jane. Don't let her use you as her personal maid, now that you share a room. She's no better than you are. She's a spoilt girl and probably thinks it is a fun game to play at being a maid. As soon as she gets bored with it she'll start ordering you about."

"She wouldn't. We are friends you know."

"Just the same, Jane, be careful."

It was not just Margaret who worried about Jane and the apparent friendship between the two girls. One day Jane and Esmé were out in the garden, admiring the roses that James was working on now. It was a new variety, a white rose with a pale pink heart and pale pink edges on the petals. James said that it was to be called the Lovely Jane. At this Jane was so embarrassed that she ran away with the mumbled excuse that she needed something from James' mother for Mary, the cook.

When they were alone James said to Esmé: "Your Highness, I hope you won't hurt Jane's feelings. She never had a friend before and she believes your friendship is honest and real. Don't disappoint her. It would destroy her trusting heart."

Esmé sighed: "My name is not 'Your Highness', it's Esmé. Jane is my friend and I wouldn't dream of hurting her. I know you don't believe that I have changed, nobody does, but it is true."

"I hope you mean it, for Jane's sake."

"And you with your Lovely Jane rose. Do you mean it? For Jane's sake, I hope you do too," said Esmé as she turned to follow her friend to the gardener's cottage. She could not help the little dig. Why didn't he believe she had changed? Why did he think she was still the spoilt brat the king had kidnapped? She wasn't stupid. She knew exactly how awful she had been, how unfeeling. Whenever she thought of it her cheeks burned with the shame.

Just then she saw Henryk and because she felt so ashamed she hurried away in the opposite direction. He saw her turning away from him and, not realising it was shame that drove her away, presumed that she didn't want to meet him because she couldn't bear looking at him. He thought that she was just as proud as ever and that she hated him for what he had done. He wondered why he bothered. Why didn't he just send her home to her father and good luck to them? Look in the mirror, you fool, why would she ever consider you? But he couldn't give up hope; he might as well give up breathing.

ooOOoo

So, Henryk avoided Esmé, because he did not want to see disgust and hate in her eyes and Esmé avoided Henryk because she was too ashamed. The only time they met was when he sent for her and took her to the room with the balcony so she could see his fight with yet another suitor who came to claim her and even then they avoided looking at each other.

Would-be heroes arrived more often, now they knew where the princess had been taken. Sometimes they came in twos or threes; they would draw lots to see who could fight Henryk first. He never understood why they didn't go for him together. One by one he could beat them; two men would have been difficult and three probably impossible. Once or twice somebody arrived with a small army, but the king's men managed to chase them away. They had to allow the duels, man to man, but no amount of orders from their king would make them forget their duty, to protect the king and the country against invading armies. So far Henryk had always been the victor and Esmé was glad about it.

Actually Esmé was very pleased that nobody could beat King Henryk. Of course, when the first few suitors came, she cheered them on and was very upset when they lost. That was until Jane had asked her, "Don't you care who you will have to marry?" She then told Esmé about the gardener's friend, a merchant who traded abroad and always came back with new plants and the latest gossip. His big news had been that Esmé's father had offered her hand in marriage and his crown to the man who would bring her home, just like Henryk had told her.

Naturally her vanity had been tickled when she saw the men fighting, selflessly risking injury and even death just to gain her freedom. Even a girl less proud than Princess Esmeralda would have felt flattered. Jane's revelation made Esmé aware of the more mercenary nature of the knights' valour. Because of her changed attitude and new self-knowledge she realised her freedom might count for very little in the minds of these men; her father's kingdom all the more.

After that she stopped cheering for her potential rescuer. She didn't cheer for Henryk either but she was quietly pleased that he had come to no harm. She told herself that this was only because she wanted to stay with her friend Jane. Eventually she stopped pretending. She wanted Henryk to win; she wanted to stay. She wanted Margaret and James to see that she was not a proud, useless princess. She wanted them to know that she was a true friend to Jane. Most of all – although she didn't know why this was so important – she wanted Henryk to see that he had been right; she could change, she had changed.

ooOOoo

In the middle of October came the snow. No new challengers arrived; the passages to the castle had been blocked off. Everybody, including Esmé, breathed a sigh of relief. At least they didn't have to fear for the king anymore. The country was well prepared for winter. There was plenty of food for everybody. The fieldworkers were free to help around the castle, giving everybody time to prepare for Christmas.

The whole castle was filled with mystery now. Most people made the presents themselves. They spent their free time working on them and all the unused rooms on the upper floor had now notices on them saying things like, "DO NOT ENTER" or "WORK IN PROGRESS" and so on. Jane had confided in Esmé that she was making a shirt for James and had shown Esmé the cream coloured material she'd bought for it.

Esmé really wanted to give her best friend a present but she didn't know what she could do. She went to James' mother to ask for advice and saw that lady busy sewing. When Esmé had explained what she wanted. James' mother looked closely at her as if trying to determine how serious she was. She came to a favourable conclusion and said to Esmé, "Do you know how to do embroidery?"

"Yes of course," answered Esmé. "I'm actually quite good at it; I just never used to like it."

She then showed Esmé what she was working on and said: "I'm making this outfit for Jane and I would like to have some embroidery on the skirt and the bodice, but my eyes are not very good for such fine work anymore. Do you think you could do it? And do you want to do it?"

"Oh, yes, yes. Thank you, thank you that you trust me to help you with this," said the once proud princess and she kissed the older woman on the cheek.

Every free minute she had, Esmé worked on her project. This time she enjoyed the work, imagining Jane's face when she would get her present. She couldn't remember the last time she had looked forward to Christmas so much. It was as if it would never come. Esmé even had time to embroider the little apron that went with the outfit. But eventually Christmas came.

ooOOoo

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed and to all who follow or marked this story as favourite.  
**

**Only two more chapters to go. The next one is set during Christmas. The question is: do I post those last chapters soon (both within a fortnight) or do I wait till Christmas?  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**FINDING PRINCE CHARMING**

**CHAPTER 6**

On Christmas day nobody got up early. There was a breakfast buffet in the dining room and people went in and out all the time until mid-morning. Then everybody was getting ready for the Christmas feast in the large hall on the ground floor.

At one o'clock the ringing of a bell announced that the feast could begin. When Esmé and Jane entered the hall, the place was already buzzing with happy voices. They sat with James and his parents who had kept places for them. There was laughing and talking, eating and drinking and Esmé felt enveloped by a warmth that suffused her whole body. This was so much nicer that the formal occasion Christmas had been at her father's place. To be honest, she admitted, that had been her fault; she had been an awful stuck-up little so-and-so.

When the meal was finished the guests all helped to clear the tables and do the dishes so that in no time the work was done. Esmé saw that Henryk helped as well. He was laughing and joking with Margaret while drying plates. She was scolding him for his teasing trying to look stern, but burst out laughing. Henryk's laugh was deep and warm. It gave Esmé a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach that she couldn't explain. She shrugged it away and turned her attention back to Jane who was telling Esmé everything about previous Christmases at the castle.

When everything was washed and dried and cleared away they returned to the hall. Here the tables and chairs had been moved to the side to free the space for games and dancing later. But first it was time for the presents.

Esmé looked around at the happy crowd that surrounded her. Near the window she saw that James gave Jane a small parcel and whispered something in her ear. Jane's eyes suddenly lit up and the young couple kissed and laughed and kissed again. No need to guess what had happened there.

Suddenly Esmé felt lonely amid all the noise and bustle, an outsider. She went to the bedroom she shared with Jane, and sitting on the windowsill, she thought about her father. Would he miss her? Would he be lonely? She'd never made his Christmas very happy, had never given him a present. Every year there had been heaps of presents for her; more presents than she could open. Had she ever said thank you? The answer was simple. No. She wished she could go to her father now and tell him how sorry she was that she had been such a cow. And Esmé made a decision. As soon as spring came and the snow and ice were gone, she would go to King Henryk and ask him to let her go back to her father. She'd tell him that she had changed, that there was no need to keep her any longer. He would understand and he would let her go because he was a kind man. Ugly and hideous, yes. But whatever he looked like, he was a good man, the best ever.

ooOOoo

Late in the night, after the party, Jane came in. She looked very excited and happy.

"I didn't see you at the party, Esmé. It was absolutely wonderful. James and I got engaged."

"Oh Jane, that's wonderful! I thought as much when I saw you kissing."

"We're getting married in the summer, when the roses bloom. James wants to give me a bouquet of Lovely Jane roses. And I will wear the lovely outfit you and James' mother made for me. Thank you so much. It's the nicest outfit I've ever had. And, Esmé, could I ask you…" Jane hesitated.

"Yes, Jane. What do you want? Ask away."

"I would like you to be my bridesmaid," Jane blurted out. "Would you?"

"I would love to Jane, but I might not be here anymore. When the snow is gone, I'm going to ask the king if I can go back home. I've been such a dreadful daughter. I want to show my father that I'm different now."

"Perhaps you could come back for the wedding."

"Perhaps, if the king will let me."

"Oh, he will! By the way, there was a present for you, but you'd gone already when they called your name."

Jane handed the little present to Esmé. It was a wooden box, a cube. Esmé opened it and took a small crystal bowl out of it. Inside the bowl on a bed of moss lay the most beautiful specimen of the red velvet roses imaginable. The card with the present just said 'To Esmeralda' but Esmé knew it could only come from king Henryk. Jane too had seen the present.

"It's from the rosebush in the orangery, the first ever to be grown," Jane whispered in awe. "Nobody but the king touches it. It's beautiful."

Esmé carefully put the bowl with the rose on her bedside table. Was this the same offer as before? Did he offer her his heart again with this rose? Sure, king Henryk was a kind man and she cared for his welfare, but she didn't love him. How could anyone love a man who was so ugly? She loved her Prince Charming and was waiting for him. Did she accept King Henryk's offer if she accepted his rose? Esmé didn't know what to think.

ooOOoo

That night Esmé had another strange dream. She was back at her father's castle where a party was held. The guests were dancing and enjoying themselves but she stood near the door, waiting for someone. Some ladies, not one of whom she recognised, stood behind her and kept asking the same questions over and over again. "Where is the lucky man? When will we see the lucky man?"

Suddenly all the guests disappeared. Esmé was all alone in the castle, looking in every room, searching for something, she knew not what. Then a mocking voice called out: "Can't find your Prince Charming? You'll have to look harder." She ran from room to room finding every one totally empty except for the bodiless voice taunting her.

She wanted to get away from the voice and ran out into the garden … which wasn't there. Instead she stood in the middle of a strange forest. The trees had tall straight trunks. The forest floor was covered in the greenest grass she'd ever seen, cut short with not a leaf or twig on it. Everywhere in between the trees stood sideboards and tables with empty vases on them. The castle had gone as well and all around the strange wood a hedge of the red roses had sprung up. She started cutting the roses and putting them in the vases, running back and forth all the time. She knew she had to do this, though she didn't know why. When the last vase was filled the wall of roses started to open up in front of Esmé. Somebody was standing at the other side, a man. Esmé knew her Prince Charming had come at last. Soon she would see him. He called her name: "Esmé, Esmé."

"Esmé, Esmé, wake up," cried Jane. "It's past 10 o'clock. We've overslept."

Esmé woke up with a groan, "Oh no. I thought I was going to see him. And it was all just a dream." She felt as if she had really been running all night but after a good shower and a hearty breakfast she was ready to go with Jane to the Boxing Day fair.

ooOOoo

The fair was held near the river. There were stands with hot drinks and others with cakes and pastries, hot and cold, and then there were the sweet-stands, the children's favourites. There were stalls, big and small that sold jewellery, haberdashery, bags, pots and dishes, tools, exotic knick-knacks, and everything anybody might need or just want. There was a large tent-like structure where music was played. People were dancing on the wooden boards that had been put down to make a dance floor. Around it tables and benches were set out. Jane and Esmé sat down to watch to dancers twirling and gliding gracefully … or not. James arrived soon afterwards and took Jane to the dance floor. Esmé sat all alone, tapping her feet to the music. Henryk was watching her from a distance. He wondered how she would react if one of the young men, none of whom had a title, would ask her for a dance. He didn't have to wait long.

"Would you … Can I … I'd love to dance with you, miss. Would you …?"

Esmé recognised the man. He was the groom who had taken Henryk's horse when she first arrived and she had seen him often with the other servants at mealtimes. She smiled at the nervous looking young man.

"Yes, Daniel, I'd love to dance," she said.

After that, Esmé didn't get to sit down anymore. Every man wanted to dance with the prettiest girl at the fair. When she sat down for a rest, she checked the seam of her skirt because she thought she had caught her heel in it while dancing. She couldn't see any damage and looked up. With a shock she saw that King Henryk was standing in front of her.

"Princess Esmeralda, would you do me the honour of dancing the next dance with me?" he asked.

Esmé sat there staring at the young king who was waiting for an answer – an answer she wasn't going to give, he thought – when she suddenly realised she was being rude and blurted out: "Yes, I'd be honoured, Your Majesty."

"Please, call me Henryk," he said.

During the dance Esmé didn't dare look at Henryk. She felt embarrassed and uncomfortable dancing with a man she had called monster, ghoul, scarecrow and worse. Why had she not noticed before that he didn't look like a hideous, gruesome or repugnant beast? Why had she not seen that he was just a man whose face had been scarred by an accident? Esmé didn't know what to say. In the end she thanked him for the present of the rose but even to her own ears it sounded stiff and cool.

For Henryk her silence and discomfort acted like a cold shower on his happy feelings. He had felt proud and elated when he'd seen her dancing, never treating her partner as an inferior, someone who was just a servant. She had talked to them as to equals. She had been like the girl he remembered. She had become the woman he knew she could be, the right queen for his country. But for him there was to be no happy ending. Her attitude sent a clear message. Obviously she rejected him, probably couldn't bear his touch, certainly couldn't endure the sight of him.

After their silent dance he took her back to her seat. He didn't ask her again even though he danced with all the other girls and women present, including Jane. Esmé still had plenty of dance partners but she couldn't enjoy it as much. She knew she had hurt Henryk's feelings and while as the proud Princess Esmeralda she wouldn't have cared one jot, the new Esmé did care … a lot.

The fair didn't end until past midnight. On their way to the castle and bed, Jane kept talking enthusiastically. Emsé couldn't get a word in edgeways but silently agreed with everything Jane said: the stalls had been well supplied, there had been some excellent dishes and pots; the food and drinks had been delicious; the music had been good, very good; James was a brilliant dancer.

"Really, James was the best dancer of all," said Jane. "When he held me, I could have gone on dancing for ever."

Esmé didn't comment on this. Privately she thought that Henryk was the better dancer. Even if their dance together had been uncomfortably silent, she'd felt safe and secure in his arms. Not that she suddenly fancied him; he was after all not her Prince Charming who was handsome, richly dressed and always laughing and fun to be with. Henryk was none of this although – Esmé had to admit – he had looked fantastic that day. She also thought about their dance and what she might have said, could have said and should have said. Esmé sighed at the lost opportunity.

ooOOoo

New Year came and went; winter still lasted with lots of snow and ice. Esmé secretly watched Henryk when he was helping out around the castle. She saw that he worked just as hard as everyone else did, that he was friendly and didn't care about status, that his people thought a lot of him. She had noticed early on that there were no scheming and flattering courtiers hanging around like there were in most castles, including her father's. She had to admit that she rather liked that, never having cared for the snooping toadies herself except as people she could order to do anything she liked, just for a whim. She'd especially enjoyed it when she made them get things for her, as if they'd been mere servants and not members of the nobility. Here everybody was appreciated and respected for the work they did, from Henryk's private secretary Robert to Liesl, the little scullery maid and consequently nobody thought certain jobs were beneath them.

Sometimes Esmé thought about the many suitors she had had and how ruthlessly she had rejected them. OK, so some of them deserved it that she didn't seriously consider them, but most of them had been honest men with an honest desire to become her husband. She could have turned them down more gently.

Her feelings towards Henryk had certainly changed. She wished she hadn't been so cruel to him. His cool reaction to the destruction of his rose (and symbolically his heart) had infuriated her at the time. Now she could only admire his attitude and his refusal to become her slave or pet like her other admirers.

She had also started to wonder about her Prince Charming. So many suitors had arrived at her father's castle when he had announced he wanted a husband for his daughter. Why hadn't her Prince bothered to come? Why hadn't he asked her hand in marriage? How much of a Prince Charming was he if he couldn't even keep his one promise? And why hadn't he tried to rescue her? Henryk would have, she thought. But Henryk was lost to her. Her own proud and obnoxious behaviour had seen to that and her stupid conduct at the Boxing Day dance had surely killed off any lasting feeling he might have had for her. Then again, she wasn't in love with him, was she? Was she?

Although Henryk had noticed the change in Esmé, he felt very downhearted. He too thought about his dance with Esmeralda. She had been so cold and distant, hadn't even looked at him except in utter shock when he had asked her. She probably thought he was an animal. After all he had abducted her, treated her abominably and the way he looked wouldn't have endeared him to her. He was no longer Prince Charming. Henryk had lost all hope of ever winning her for himself.

ooOOoo

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**Author's Note:**

**One more chapter to go. Will they find each other or will they continue acting stupidly? All to be revealed next time.  
**

**Message to the readers (that means you too): please, review. i would love to know what you think of the story.  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**FINDING PRINCE CHARMING**

**CHAPTER 7**

At the end of February the snow still lay thick on the ground. One morning the lookout, who had been taking life easy, heard the sound of a horn at the main gate. A man asked to see King Henryk. He didn't have fancy armour or even a horse; he only had a sword and was dressed like a common soldier. The lookout went to see Henryk and told him a challenger was at the gate.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't see him coming. I didn't think anyone would come. I'm so sorry. It was my duty and I failed. I'm so sorry"

The poor guard kept apologising even after Henryk had told him that nobody, not even he, had expected anybody to come this early in the year.

Henryk went out to see the zealous suitor. The man was not at all what he had expected.

"Is it true that the princess Esmeralda is held prisoner here?" the soldier said. "If so, I have come to fight your king, to try and free her."

"Yes, the princess is here. I'm King Henryk. Come in and have a rest."

"I mean to fight you to win her freedom."

"I know, but perhaps you want to rest first. I know you have come a long way."

The soldier looked at his strange adversary who offered him a rest instead of taking advantage of a possibly tired opponent.

"I have been here since last night. I'm well rested and ready to fight you."

Henryk went to fetch his sword. On the way he met Margaret.

"There is a new challenger," he said. "Could you take Esmé to the balcony room, Margaret?""

"This early in the year? That's being eager."

Henryk shrugged his shoulders.

"Right, I'll go and fetch her."

"Margaret …"

"Yes?"

"Tell the men that nobody is allowed to interfere … even if I'm beaten."

"Yes … I'll tell them."

Margaret was worried. Henryk had never talked about losing before. Her fears caused her to be curt towards Esmé. After all the girl was to blame for the danger Henryk was in.

"Come, I'm to take you to the balcony room," she said "Someone's come to fight Henryk again for you."

Margaret saw Esmé worried look and relented. Really, she thought, this is as much Henryk's fault as Esmé's. He had, after all, kidnaped the girl.

"Don't worry," she said to Esmé. "Henryk has done this before. He will be fine."

ooOOoo

The fight had started by the time Esmé came onto the balcony. Whether it was because he had not been prepared for combat, or because his heart was no longer in it, or because the soldier knew more about winning a battle than making it look good, whatever it was, Henryk did not have an easy fight. A couple of times he only just managed to stay on his feet and Esmé was really worried about him. She realised this was not a game put on for her entertainment but a deadly serious encounter between two men, and Henryk seemed to be on the losing side. She could no longer bear to watch and ran down to put a stop to the duel. On her way down she kept thinking, "Let him be alright, please, let him be alright." She would be devastated if anything happened to Henryk. And it was all her fault. Because of her stupid pride, Henryk was now in danger. And if this man were to kill him? For a moment the thought stopped her mad dash down the stairs. No … no … No! No! No! That couldn't be, mustn't be. Her feelings for Henryk overwhelmed her like an avalanche, obliterating all her doubts and her thoughts of Prince Charming. She started running even faster. She had to stop the fight or she would lose the man she cared for more than she'd ever thought possible.

She virtually flew down the stairs, shot through the door into the tunnel, collided with somebody, pushed him out of the way, ran through the big gate into the courtyard … and stopped. Relief washed over her, Henryk was still alive. Then she saw that he had been defeated. The soldier had disarmed him and had tied his hands together. He was injured as well; blood was trickling from a wound on his head. It hurt Esmé to see Henryk like that. Vanquished, beaten. He just shouldn't look so crushed.

Henryk had been waiting for Esmé to come and thank her victorious hero. He was surprised when she entered the courtyard far quicker than expected. He saw her deep sigh, in relief no doubt because she was finally free, and she could punish him, the beast that had imprisoned her. He had failed to win her heart and now he never would. His hopes and dreams had come tumbling down and he stood crushed amid the broken pieces.

"You have won, princess," he said.

Esmé didn't listen. She was looking round for something to cut his bonds. She saw his discarded weapons; his sword and dagger. She picked up the dagger and turned towards Henryk who hadn't moved; who just stood there waiting for things to come as if nothing mattered anymore, as if he had truly given up.

Henryk saw the weapon in Esmé's hand and thought she was going to kill him. Her revenge for what he had dared do to her. Ah, but death was preferable to living without her.

"Do you hate me that much, that you want to kill me yourself? Shouldn't you wait for your father? He might want a public execution to discourage people from kidnapping his daughter."

He didn't say this to stay her hand. He just hoped she would answer, say something, anything, just to hear her voice one more time.

Esmé shook her head. What was he talking about? Hate? Execution?

"What execution? Whose execution? What are you talking about?"

She cut the rope that tied his hands together and looked up at him.

"I don't want to kill you," she said. "I don't want anybody to kill you. Why would I? And I don't hate you I stopped hating you a long time ago."

Why didn't he know? Why did she have to tell him? She continued anyway.

"You believed in me. You made me realise what a terrible person I have been and gave me the chance to prove I could be different. I know you must hate me for the things I've said to you, for the way I treated you when you offered me your heart."

The knowledge that she had lost him stabbed her through the heart. She blinked back the tears. "I wish I could undo that day. I wish I hadn't been so rude and heartless. I wish I had understood sooner …"

She couldn't stop the tears any longer. Her pride told her to go, to hide her feelings for this man who surely didn't want them any longer. But she ignored the thought. Henryk wouldn't mock her or deliberately hurt her. Then with her head down, partly because she didn't want him to see the tears in her eyes, partly because she didn't want to see the compassion in his eyes, she added in a low voice, no more than a whisper, "Today, when I feared for your life, I realised that … that I love you but I know you can no longer love me."

Love? Did she just say she loved him? Henryk could hardly believe it.

"Princess Esmeralda, look at me."

"I'm just Esmé," she said in a small voice.

He smiled.

"Esmé, please, look at me."

Henryk took Esmé's face in his hands and lifted it. He saw the love shining through her tears and she saw that he loved her too; they saw in each other's eyes what they could have seen weeks and weeks ago if they had dared to look. Intense joy filled their hearts; they kissed and felt it in every fibre of their bodies. Then they looked at each other again, because they could, because they finally dared.

Henryk thought Esmé was more beautiful than ever, now that she had lost the harshness of her cold pride. Esmé gently stroked Henryk's scar. She was sure it had faded. It was not as violently red as she remembered. And in his eyes she saw all the love she thought she'd lost. They kissed again long and slow. Nothing existed any longer till life interrupted them as it always does.

"What is going to happen now?" said the soldier.

He'd been the person Esmé had collided with in the tunnel. She'd pushed him aside so violently he'd lost his footing and fell. When he'd gotten up he'd followed Esmé to the courtyard and had patiently if embarrassedly waited for the lover's to finish kissing.

Eventually he had decided that the end of the world would arrive sooner than the end of their kiss and interrupted them.

Henryk and Esmé looked at him in shock. Of course, this man had defeated Henryk. They knew that according to her father's promise she was to be his wife.

Esmé recovered first. Just because she was no longer the proud Esmeralda didn't mean she should be meek and let herself be led like a lamb to the slaughter. If that man expected her to drop Henryk and become HIS wife, tough. SHE hadn't made any promises.

To the soldier she said: "I am sorry, I'm afraid I cannot be your wife. But you are welcome to my father's kingdom."

Henryk smiled inwardly when he heard the old haughtiness in her voice. Esmé had become a nicer person because she'd wanted to, not because her spirit had been broken. Her body felt as tense as his, though. Both of them expected problems but neither was going to give up what they had found after so much pain.

"Begging your pardon, ma'am, but I never wanted you for a wife. Nor do I want your father's kingdom. I have a girl, my Sophie, and we want to get married. All I want is enough money to buy a farm and cattle and everything else I need."

The relief at the soldier's words was immense. There would be no more trouble.

"I'm sure my father will give you anything you want. I'll make sure he does," Esmé promised.

Henryk added, "You can have some of my price animals as well. You can have anything you need. I owe you my happiness."

"I didn't do all that much," said the soldier. "I expected a lot more resistance. The stories that were told about you, described you as a veritable devil, a demon with enormous strength, a fighting fiend. You didn't really want to fight, did you? You gave up too easily."

"You're right. I'd given up all hope of winning Esmé and I didn't care if I lived or died."

"You could have been killed." Esmé shuddered at the thought. "And it would have been my fault."

All was well now and even Henryk's wound was not serious, a mere scratch. They went into the castle to the big hall where the people had assembled, anxiously waiting for the outcome of the battle. They didn't know what to think when Henry and Esmé entered, closely followed by the soldier. Who had won? When Henryk said there would be no more fighting and announced his engagement to Esmé everybody was overjoyed that King Henryk was safe. They cheered for him and his bride. When Margaret saw Henryk's happiness, she was ready to forgive Esmé everything, including a nasty character.

Jane was a bit shy when she realised that her friend would be the queen, but Esmé told her that they would always be friends.

"After all," she said, "it was your friendship that helped me to change."

ooOOoo

About a week after the soldier had arrived, Esmé asked Henryk what made him think that she might become a nicer person.

"I would have thought it natural if my behaviour had put you off for life."

"I never ever wanted to come anywhere near you again in my life!" he answered.

Then he told her when and where he has seen her, and what made him decide that perhaps he should be the one to try and get rid of the brat in her.

Esmé kissed Henryk.

"I'm so glad you got rid of the brat."

They had to wait until April before Henryk thought the weather was good enough to travel to Esmé's father. The journey was uneventful and eventually they reached King John's palace. Esmé ran straight to her father and embraced him – something he wasn't used to. After the exuberant greeting she told him about her engagement to Henryk.

Of course it took some time before King John understood that his daughter really wanted to marry King Henryk. She had so obviously been disgusted with him and then he had abducted her.

First he asked his daughter. "Are you really sure you want to marry him? You are not forced into this? He didn't … nothing happened that makes you feel you have no other choice but to become his wife? This is your own free choice?"

"Yes, father, I really, really want to marry Henryk. I love him so much. And if the handsomest, wealthiest Emperor in the world asked for my hand I would say no because he's not Henryk."

Then he asked Henryk. "And you, Henryk, do you really want my daughter? Last time you stormed out because of what she said. She's not the easiest girl to get along with. Are you sure you can cope? "

"Sir, I've loved your daughter for a long time and I've won her love even though I've treated her abominably. The happiest day in my life was when she finally said she loved me. I think … no, I'm sure we will be happy together. If you can forgive me for the sorrow I've caused you when I abducted her, then please, give us your blessing."

When King John finally realised that his daughter and his friend's son loved each other despite the rocky start to their relationship he was really delighted with the planned wedding.

"This would have pleased your father so much, Henryk," the king said. "We talked about this when you were dancing with Esmé on her sixteenth birthday."

"You're mistaken, father," said Esmé in a gentle voice. "I've never danced with Henryk on my birthday. I saw him the first time when he gave me his rose."

"You two played together when you were children. Thick as thieves you two were; the scourge of the kitchen. Always after something sweet; and woe betide the poor devil who refused to give your Harry his favourite biscuit."

"He's Henryk."

"Of course he is, but you always called him Harry for some reason."

Esmé looked at her father, then at Henryk.

"Oh my god, you **are** my Prince Charming. And I didn't recognise you."

"I'm no Prince Charming anymore, Esmé. The accident didn't only change my face. I'm no longer the light-hearted boy I was then."

"That's good," said Esmé, "Prince-Charmings really are a boring lot. Besides, I hope I'm no longer the silly girl I was then."

And Esmé kissed Henryk, her Prince Charming; no, better, her beloved, her fiancé, her man.

When summer came and the roses were blooming there was a small wedding when Jane married James and, as promised, Esmé was Jane's bridesmaid.

There was also a bigger wedding when Esmé married her ugly king. Well, she didn't think he wasn't all that ugly really; he just had a scar on his face and Esmé didn't notice it anymore. Of course King Henryk gave her a big bunch of the deep red velvety roses as a wedding bouquet.

"They finally have a name," he said. "James agreed with my choice. They are now called Rosa Princess Esmeralda."

And Esmé blushed when her father said to her: "I thought you didn't like roses."

The gardener whose roses Esmé had destroyed beamed with pleasure when he was given two rosebushes for his garden: a Rosa Princess Esmeralda and a Rosa Lovely Jane, the first to be grown outside King Henryk's country.

Esmé and Henryk lived long and mostly happily, as both knew that compromise is sometimes necessary in a marriage, even – or perhaps particularly – in a royal marriage.

One thing they agreed on without question. None of their children was allowed to become a spoilt brat. When they came of age they were sent out to go and work as servants somewhere and if they found a partner who loved them without knowing that they were princes or princesses so much the better.

When their eldest son was working as a groom …  
but that is another story.

ooooOOOOoooo

THE END

ooOoo

oOo

o

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**Authors Note:**

**Here ends the story of Henryk and Esmé. I hope you liked it. Please let me know what you thought.  
**


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